Out with the stripes, on with the whites
IF you thought the faces looked familiar but the outfits all wrong, then you’re right.
That’s pretty much a West Bromwich Albion XI there in cricket whites – the odd one out being assistant manager Mick Brown, in the front row, with gloves and pads.
It’s hard to imagine anything like it happening today, but forty years ago there was still such a thing as an Annual cricket match between West Bromwich Dartmouth Cricket Club and the Baggies’ first team, held each year at Sandwell Park.
How many of the Albion’s 1980 side can you name? We’ll do it for you. In the back row, from left, are: Bryan Robson, Cyrille Regis, Andy Goreham, Ally Robertson, David Mills, Gary Owen and Peter Barnes.
In the front row are: John Deehan, Derek Statham, Mick Brown and John Wile. The match took place on August 6, during the close season.
On the right is another off-thepitch picture from the same year.
Taken in April, this one shows Albion’s Bryan Robson again, still with trademark perm, holding a baby from Streetley. The latter was Andrew Walker, and his parents, whose first names we don’t have, are at left and right.
Full back
Second from left is Everton full back John Barton, and according to the details that come with the photograph, the two footballers were godparents to Andrew.
Given that this picture was taken in the spring of 1980, baby Walker must now be forty years of age.
Do you have photographs of your sporting heroes that you’d like to share with Bugle readers? Email gjones@blackcountrybugle.co.uk, or write to us at Black Country Bugle, Dudley Archives, Tipton Road, Dudley, DY1 4SQ.